WASHINGTON - House Republicans are planning a vote on a stop-gap spending measure later Monday that would delay ObamaCare's mandate that most individuals purchase health insurance starting next spring. It would also block the continuation of governmental health coverage subsidies for members of Congress and their staffs.

The measure was introduced after the Democratic-led Senate rejected an earlier House Republican spending bill that would have delayed the entire Affordable Care Act, or ObamaCare, for a year. The revised proposal is also almost certain to be rejected by the Senate -- making a partial government shutdown after midnight Monday more likely.

It would be the first government shutdown in nearly two decades.

President Barack Obama said a government shutdown would hurt the economy and send millions of government workers, contract employees and private workers dependent on the government from their jobs.

"One faction of one party in one house of Congress in one branch of government doesn't get to shut down the entire government just to re-fight the results of an election," Obama said.

Asked if the House GOP will allow a vote on
the "clean" spending bill," without ObamaCare restrictions, demanded by
Democrats, Speaker John Boehner said Monday: "That's not going to happen."

The denial of continued government subsidies to help members of Congress, and their staffs, obtain coverage, has been pushed relentlessly the last few weeks by Sen. David Vitter, R-La, who says it would assure Congress and its employees aren't treated better than the public under the Affordable Care Act. His amendment, and the proposal being incorporated into the latest House GOP spending bill, would add the president, vice president and their political appointees to those losing federal subsidies for health insurance - now worth $5,000 for individual coverage and $11,000 for family coverage.

Vitter said it's all about ensuring that "Congress is treated like the rest of America."

But Democrats, and some Republicans, say it would treat members and their staffs, including the most junior congressional workers - far worse by denying them benefits given to most other government workers, as well as employees at large businesses who will continue to get their subsidized coverage from their employer under the Affordable Care Act.

Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., said junior congressional staffers are being sacrificed" for a political ploy.

"Louisiana families are not getting special breaks from ObamaCare and neither should Congress," Cassidy said.

Members of Congress and their staffs, as a result of a GOP amendment to the Affordable Care Act, are, with some exceptions, are required to purchase health insurance from exchanges - set up under the law to help the uninsured obtain insurance and qualify for income-based subsidies. Vitter said the law bars people buying insurance from getting subsidies from their employer - something the Obama administration wants to allow with a special exemption, saying they are acting to insure continuity of benefits for congressional workers.

Democrats continue to blast Republicans for in their words holding hostage a spending bill. They said Democrats are willing to lower spending levels for a short-term bill to those favored by Republicans to keep the government operating - if the GOP would stop trying to delay or repeal ObamaCare nearly four years after it was adopted.

"Shutting down the government is bad policy, it undermines the confidence of our people, our national security, our economy, and the creation of jobs," said House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer, D-Md.

"The devastating effects of the President's
health care law are not a partisan issue," Scalise said. "Businesses see
it. American families see it. Even union leaders like James Hoffa see this
train wreck coming."

Obama said the consequences of a shutdown would be severe.

"Office buildings would close. Paychecks would be delayed. Vital services that seniors and veterans, women and children, businesses and our economy depend on would be hamstrung," the president said. "Business owners would see delays in raising capital, seeking infrastructure permits or rebuilding after Hurricane Sandy. Veterans, who've sacrificed for their country, will find their support centers unstaffed.

"Tourists will find every one of America's national parks and monuments, from Yosemite to the Smithsonian to the Statue of Liberty, immediately closed. And of course the communities and small business that rely on these national treasures for their livelihoods will be out of customers and out of luck."

All of this is unnecessary, Obama said, if only Republicans would return a non-controversial bill to keep the government operating.

The Vitter amendment on health benefits to members and staff has generated a contentious battle in the Senate, with the Louisiana senator blocking votes on amendments to an energy efficiency bill until he got a guarantee of a vote on his proposal. He never did.

Democrats prepared some amendments aimed at embarrassing Vitter, but they were never formally offered. The energy bill was eventually pulled from the floor without a vote.

"If a senator doesn't want to have
health care here, they should take themselves out of it," Boxer said. "If they
don't think their staff deserves to have a health care benefit as an employer,
tell them they do not have to take it. Tell them to opt out. Tell them it would
please you if they didn't have that benefit."